In conflicts with peer and near-peer adversaries, U.S. air crews will be contested in the air and on the airwaves. They’ll face not just kinetic attacks, but also radars, advanced air defense systems, and other electromagnetic effects seeking to disrupt their missions.
Electronic Warfare
The F-16’s new electronic warfare suite, the AN/ALQ-257, has begun flight testing after successfully completing ground tests in an anechoic chamber, Northrop Grumman reported. A swift evaluation program—which builds on three years of ground testing and surrogate testing in the air—is expected to wrap up ...
The U.S. Air Force worked with Denmark and Norway to reprogram the EW systems on the F-16s those countries and the Netherlands are providing to Ukraine. The move is expected to help counter the threat from Russia.
The F-15’s new electronic warfare system—the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System—has completed operational testing and is ready for full-rate production, with deployment starting this year an operational capability set for 2025.
The Space Force wrapped up its largest-ever exercise focused on electromagnetic warfare, Black Skies 23-3, on Sept. 23, with more than 170 participants. Introduced last year, Black Skies is an electronic warfare-focused evolution of the Space Flag exercises. Organized by Space Training and Readiness Command, ...
BAE Systems has received a $491 million F-35 electronic warfare suite production contract from Lockheed Martin to outfit Block 4 jets in 2024. Program director Lt. Gen. Michael Schmidt says the Tech Refresh 3 that will underwrite the upgraded EW will be ready by then.
Navy E/A-18 Growlers are conducting NATO enhanced air policing in Eastern Europe near Ukraine to show Russia that the U.S. stands ready with electronic warfare capabilities. But what the Navy is doing also highlights what the Air Force can't. Pilots from Navy Electronic Attack Squadron ...